Virtual reality is the newest up and coming technology on the market these days and it has decided to pair up with the adult entertainment industry. The Playstation, Google Cardboard, and Oculus Rift headsets were all released last year, in 2016. Once it was shown that virtual technology was a reality and becoming mainstream, the discussion quickly went in the direction of adult entertainment.

Even though the adult entertainment industry has innovation to spare, virtual reality technology is still in its beginning stages. There are some companies that have already released virtual pornography videos onto adult sites and they are quickly becoming popular among pornography lovers.

VR Porn Enthusiasts Are Excited

What makes virtual reality pornography so enticing is that it takes adult entertainment to the next level. Instead of being just an observer of your fantasies, virtual reality lets you become a firsthand participant instead. Virtual reality pornography even allows for things such as zooming in and Bluetooth compatibility. One possibility that has caused skepticism over how magnificent virtual porn is, is whether or not people will grow to enjoy it more than good old fashioned real life sex with a human being and what that could mean for couple’s relationships. It could also lead to an increase in fetishes such as bondage.

But What Are The Downsides?

Newcastle University has done a study meant to find out what potential risks and types of impact that virtual reality pornography can have on people as well as their relationships with other people. It was found out that there may be more to worry about than just motion sickness. The fact that virtual reality pornography has no limitations or consequences gives it the potential to be more violent and addictive. The participants in the study were torn between their virtual sexual experiences being amazing or too “perfect”. Experts believe that virtual reality pornography has the potential to become an extreme addiction over time and with long exposure.

After the University reviewed the participant’s reports they decided that virtual reality pornography also raises red flags in concern of consent and what the boundaries are in the virtual worlds. A virtual reality user could very easily customize a replica of celebrity, an ex-lover, or even a current one, etc. and use that model to participate in sexual acts that the real life person who is being modeled would never agree to in real life. “Revenge porn” is also a possibility. This is where a user creates and shares 3D virtual replicas of former lovers.

It is also believed that because of the participation aspect of this type of pornography that it is closer to infidelity than regular 2D pornography is. This technology could add a very powerful new element to people’s sexual relationships, whether it is good or bad will likely depend on the couple and their personalities. Virtual reality pornography has endless possibilities and it is possible that it could even open up more experimental ideas when it comes to sex by doing things such as allowing a male to assume a female role or vice versa.

Sarah Calvert, a relationship and psychosexual therapist, has argued that porn is already used as an escape from an unhappy reality for some and that coming back to said unhappy reality after being in the immersive virtual world could cause those unhappy feelings to become more extreme once they realize their reality is unchanged. If a person assumes the role of someone with a more socially acceptable body, coming back to reality could really injure their self-esteem or ego. There are going to be downsides to everything but the unrealistic expectations as well as possibly addicting aspect should be kept in mind when shopping for a new sexual experience.